Life After Prom
by fyreangel5
Summary: After the disaster known as Senior Prom, Pacey finds out Joey has been kidnapped, and now must look after Alex. Will they find Joey in time?


Title: Life After Prom

Ratings: T (some talk of violence)

Pairings: Pacey/Joey

Summary: After the disaster known as Senior Prom, Pacey finds out Joey has been kidnapped, and now must look after Alex. Will they find Joey in time?

Word Count: 1905

Disclaimer: I do not own Dawson's Creek or any of the characters.

Inspiration: I've had this concept in my head years ago, but I never did anything about it. Then last week I had a random dream about it, and it sparked my interest again, and I can't get it out of my head.

Author's Note: I haven't written fan fiction in five years, so I'm rusty. I also don't know how often I'll update. It depends on how inspired I stay. But I like to put out a chapter a week. This is just the opening scene, so I hope you guys like it. Also, this story has not been edited. All mistakes are mine.

* * *

_When I'm with you, I feel like I'm nothing_

That sentence kept playing over and over inside of Joey Potter's head in the limo ride home from Senior Prom. She would never intentionally make anyone feel like they were nothing, especially Pacey. She loved him too much, and to think she made him feel worthless, was devastating.

The ride home was tense as no one seemed to be in a good mood. Joey was relieved when the limo stopped at the Potter B&B. She could no longer stand to be around people anymore as she kept trying to hold back her tears.

_I feel like I'm nothing_

Because it was after midnight, Joey took her heels off before making her way up the stairs and to the front door. She dug through her handbag for her house key, and as quietly as possible, opened the front door.

After turning the porch light off and locking the front door, Joey carefully made her way towards her bedroom in pitch black. As Joey put her hand on the doorknob, she heard a noise coming from behind her.

Just before Joey turned around to see who it was, she felt an intense pain explode in the back of her head. Next thing she knew, she flew face first into her closed bedroom door, and passed out before she even hit the floor.

* * *

Three days had passed since the disaster known as Prom. Pacey Witter refused to get off the couch aka get out of bed, especially for something as mundane as school. He was not in the mood to see anybody, especially Joey Potter. The woman who ripped his heart out, and the woman who's heart he ripped out in return.

"Get out of bed, Pacey!" Gretchen yelled as she walked by and pulled Pacey's blanket off him.

Pacey moaned as he rolled over, refusing to get up.

"You need a shower, you stink! You haven't moved in three days and I want my couch back!" Gretchen complained as she walked into the kitchen to make herself a pot of coffee.

Pacey continued to ignore her as he buried his head under his pillow. If he had his way, he wouldn't move for the rest of his life. He had nothing to look forward too. It's not like he was going to college or leaving Capeside. He was going to be a deadbeat, just like his father always said he'd become. He was better off proving the old man right.

"Fine Pacey, if you won't go to school, can you at least go into town and pick up some groceries?" Gretchen tried compromising with her little brother, as she was worried about him. Gretchen saw the way he exploded at Prom, and she was concerned about him.

Pacey mumbled something under his breath that Gretchen couldn't hear.

"What was that?" Gretchen asked as she sat down at the table with her coffee.

Pacey lifted his head. "Fine! If it'll get you off my back!"

Gretchen smiled as she lifted the mug up to her lips and took a sip. She hoped this would help get Pacey out of his funk, even if just for a few hours. _Maybe I should call Doug and have him meet Pacey in town. See if he can get Pacey to ride along with him for the day. _Gretchen thought to herself as she watched Pacey fall to the floor, get up, and head towards the bathroom.

* * *

An hour later and Pacey was putting the groceries in the car when a police siren went off and pulled into the spot next to his.

Doug Witter rolled down his window, and before he could say anything, Pacey held up his hand. "I don't want to hear it Dougie, I'm not in the mood."

Doug sighed, turned off the car, and stepped out. "Heard about what happened at Prom, little brother."

Pacey tensed, as he kept his back to his brother. _Please not now! I can't deal with this. Just let me go home in peace._

"Speaking of Prom, have you heard from Joey?" Doug asked as he watched his little brother tense up.

Pacey put the last of the groceries in the car. He closed the door, took a deep breath, and turned around to face his older brother. "No, I haven't."

Doug opened his mouth to say something, when the police scanner went off.

**_Sightings of a little boy, no older than three, spotted wandering alone on Daisy Lane_**

Pacey and Doug looked at each other in surprise. "That's the Potter B&B," Doug said, just as Pacey said, "That can't be Alex…"

"Get in the car," was all Doug said as he hopped in and started the car.

Doug turned the sirens on as Pacey hopped in the passenger seat. Doug responded to the call, saying he was on his way.

They drove in tense silence until they turned onto Daisy Lane, and sure enough, spotted a child walking barefoot down the side of the road, looking exhausted.

"My God, That's Alex! What is he doing?" Pacey called out in shock. There was no way Bessie, Bodie, or even Joey would ever let Alex roam the streets alone. He was only two years old! Something had to be wrong.

Doug pulled over to the side of the road, and before the car was in park, Pacey hopped out and ran over to Alex. He scooped him up into his arms and asked him where he was going.

Alex looked up at Pacey and started crying from exhaustion.

Pacey looked over at Doug, both speechless, and not knowing what to do. Finally, Doug told Pacey to get in the car.

After driving to the Potter B&B, Doug, Pacey, and Alex who was still in Pacey's arms, made their way to the stairs. After noticing the door wide open, Doug paused to take his gun out of his holster.

Pacey tensed as he watched Doug go into cop mode. It's not something he was used to seeing, and something he hoped to never see again. Especially at the Potter B&B.

Pacey knew something bad was about to happen, and he didn't want Alex to witness it. At least not more than he already had. He placed Alex down on the bench and told him not to move.

Pacey followed Doug through the front entrance and looked around. The dining room table looked fine. The kitchen looked a mess. Food was everywhere and all the bottom cabinet doors were wide open.

Doug took tentative steps further into the house. The living room looked fine, except for a small blood stain in the carpet in front of a closed door.

Pacey inhaled sharply in shock. "That's Joey's room," he whispered to Doug.

Doug tensed even more as he crept forward. They both noticed a pair of heels scattered by the dried blood stain. Pacey recognized them as the shoes Joey wore to Prom.

Doug leaned up against the wall as he told Pacey to open the door. As soon as it was open, Doug flew forward with his gun pointed in front of him. He searched the room quickly but saw nothing. The bed was made, and everything was in place.

Both Doug and Pacey let out sighs of relief, not realizing they had both held their breath's in anticipation.

They slowly crept their way down the hallway and checked out the rest of the bedrooms. What they both saw and smelled had them running out of the B&B and throwing up all over the flowers surrounding the stairs. Doug frantically got on the radio and called for backup.

In a daze Pacey sat down next to Alex and held him in his arms, until Alex fell asleep, and help arrived.

Aside from the bloodstain on the carpet in front of Joey's room, they found Bessie, Bodie, and all the guests, each in their rooms, dead. Someone had taken the axe from outside and butchered everyone in their sleep. Everyone except Alex and Joey, who was missing.

Alex had been left on his own for three days, until he tried to find help, and Pacey and Doug found him wandering the streets.

Pacey was in a state of shock and was thankful when child services finally allowed him to take Alex home and look after him until either Joey was found, or next of kin was contacted.

Once he got home and saw Gretchen, he broke down crying. Once Gretchen got Alex settled in front of the tv, Pacey told her what he'd found at the Potter B&B. Numbly, Gretchen agreed to take in Alex and watch him until they found Joey, alive.

"What do we do about Joey?" Gretchen asked as she and Pacey sat at the kitchen table, staring off into space.

"We look for her," Pacey replied. "Dougie put out and APB. He said there was nothing we can do, but maybe we can look around town? I don't know Gretch, but I'm desperate. I can't just sit here and do nothing." Pacey sniffled and wiped his nose with his hand.

Gretchen placed her hand on Pacey's arms and squeezed. "We'll do everything we can to help. And that means looking after Alex. That little boy is top priority now. Let Doug and the cops take care of finding Joey."

Pacey blew out his breath as he looked over to Alex asleep on the couch, and his heart melted. "Your right, Gretch. Alex comes first. They'll find Joey, and then we'll take it from there."

* * *

Joey woke up with a moan as she felt the back of her head. Her hair was matted to her skull and she winced as she felt the dried blood from the gash in the back of her head. She also touched her nose and winced in pain, as she assumed it was broken. _What happened? Where am I?_

Joey waited for her eyes to slowly adjust. It was still dark outside, but she could tell she wasn't home and in her room.

The last thing Joey remembered was going home after Prom and being knocked out just before she reached her bedroom.

Slowly, Joey sat up and waited for the dizziness to pass. As she carefully got out of the bed, she barely registered she was still in her prom dress. She walked over towards the door and tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. She was locked in from the outside.

Joey flipped on the light switch and winced from the sudden bright light. After her eyes adjusted again, she turned around to look. The room was bare except for a desk, an empty bed, one window, and two other doors. One door turned out to be a closet, and the other was a bathroom. After searching both rooms and the empty closet, she found nothing to defend herself with. No weapons of any kind, just dust bunnies.

Joey made her way over to the window, and tried to pry it open, but it wouldn't budge. From what Joey can tell, she was in an old run-down cabin, and the window was warped shut. There was no escaping.

Scared, Joey sat down in the middle of the bed and drew her knees up to her chest. She rocked herself as she tried to think, but she knew she had a concussion and her thoughts were slow.

Eventually she fell asleep sitting up.


End file.
